Holy cow! Has Mick Jagger suddenly become religious?

Rolling Stones fans can rejoice. “Hackney Diamonds,” the 24th studio album (26th in the U.S.) from the original rockers, out Friday, lives up to high expectations. It is an excellent late work that can be counted among the British band’s best works (a detailed review will follow after the release). The highlight of the album, “Sweet Sounds Of Heaven”, has now been released. A seven-minute gospel song with an excellent vocal performance by Lady Gaga and soul legend Stevie Wonder on the harmonica. Jagger and Gaga share the vocals and sing hauntingly, emotionally and with great enthusiasm.

‘Sweet Sounds Of Heaven’ is a gospel hymn of relatively traditional format, a prayer for the world that has become music. «I hear the sweet, sweet sounds of heaven. I smell the sweet scents of heaven,” Jagger sings, “bless the father, bless the son, hear the sound of the drums. How they echo and break through the valley. Let no woman or child go to bed hungry today. Please protect us from torment and pain.”

Mick Jagger turned 80 this year on July 26. Did the aging Mick Jagger, in the late stages of his life, suddenly become a believer? Or in general: what do you think about religion, Mick? Is ‘Sweet Sound Of Heaven’ with its confession of God and Jesus something like the answer to ‘Sympathy For The Devil’? A correction?

In 1968, Jagger took on the role of the devil on the groundbreaking album ‘Beggars Banquet’. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I hope you guessed my name.” Jagger’s 20th century devil was a refined, well-dressed, seductive gentleman with the best of manners. But no less evil and despicable than that devil with horns, goatee, tail and trident.

The Rolling Stones were rebels at the time and were considered the bad, boorish boys. They caused offense in conservative circles and cultivated this image themselves. Also in this respect ‘Sympathy For The Devils’ was a provocation. But for conservative circles, the song was a great way to put the hated band and their sinful rock music in a devil’s corner. Conversely, Satanists have also directly referenced this song.

But ‘Sympathy For The Devil’ is a big misunderstanding. Neither Jagger nor the Stones had ever had any sympathy for the diabolical. What was meant was society as a whole, which according to Jagger is vulnerable to evil and has lost soul and faith. “Who Killed the Kennedys?” Jagger asks and gives the answer himself: “It was you and me.” Jagger describes the classic Christian struggle between good and evil that lies within every person: “Just like every police officer is a criminal. And all sinners are saints too.”

Actually, the text is unmistakable. The devil is portrayed as the author of evil. Yet it was exploited by radical circles, so the Stones did not play the song on tour for years.

Mick Jagger grew up very religious in an extremely conservative Anglican church. This is probably why he never had or developed a relationship with the church. But he loves gospel music and Aretha Franklin. In the film ‘Amazing Grace’, which was recorded in a gospel church with Aretha Franklin in 1972, we see Jagger clapping enthusiastically in the audience.

And Jagger has always concerned himself with philosophical, spiritual and religious questions, which are increasingly incorporated into songs. For example in “Saint Of Me” from the album “Bridges Of Babylon” from 1998. The song is about people like Saint Augustine and Saint Paul, who converted to Christianity and felt called to take the gospel to the pagans . world. The song ends with the line that you can never make him a saint.

In his solo album ‘Goddess in the Doorway’ from 2001, he intensively ‘searches for the truth’, without of course finding it. ‘God Gave Me Everything’ is also not as clear as the title suggests. Instead, the lyrics emphasize the idea that we are all connected to something greater than ourselves, and that recognizing that connection can bring about a deep sense of meaning and fulfillment.

Jagger is neither devil nor saint. And certainly not a missionary when it comes to Christianity. «I don’t believe in the Holy Book. Like most English people, I’m not a big fan of it,” Jagger said in an interview with The Independent in 2007. He is “more in awe of the universe.”

Jagger created his own faith, his own Lord and his own Jesus. Like most people in the West today. As in the song “Joy” his is Jesus, not as described in the Bible and the church. His Jesus first lights a cigarette. This is probably how his confession in “Sweet Sounds Of Heaven” can be understood. When it comes to faith, the Stones boss has also entered the mainstream of society. (aargauerzeitung.ch)